Coronavirus Australia: Nation’s roadmap to ‘COVID normal’ revealed

Australians now have a picture of what life will look like in summer, as the Federal Government unveils its road map to reopening the nation.

National Cabinet has revealed its road map to “COVID normal” by Christmas, providing Australians with a picture of what life might look like by the end of the year.

The three-step plan outlines a gradual reopening of the nation towards free movement between states and territories, everyone back at their workplaces, larger gatherings at entertainment venues and no restrictions on weddings and funerals.

Stage three of the plan, which is called “COVID Normal” and has a target date of Christmas, would see the removal of state border restrictions and free movement between areas with no community transmission, as outlined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier today.

By then there should also be quarantine-free travel with New Zealand and “other low risk cohorts”, with international student and seasonal worker pilot programs to be expanded.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison provides an update to media after this afternoon’s National Cabinet meeting. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Morrison said West Australian Premier Mark McGowan still had some reservations about reopening his state but the PM was hopeful the entire country could be reopen by late December.

“It’d be very familiar, I think to many, the reopening plan to get Australia open by Christmas of this year,” Mr Morrison said.

“Importantly, this plan not only details the opening of various activities within our economy (but) within our community and society.”

In stage three, all food and drink venues, including food courts, will be open – with physical distancing of 1.5 metres between groups – and venues will continue to collect contact details for contact tracing.

Retail stores will be open, schools and education centres will be open, auctions and open houses can have gatherings in accordance with the two or four square metre rule, and all sports and recreation venues will be open with social distancing.

The framework expects fewer restrictions on everyday life by Christmas. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Also by Christmas, events with fewer than 500 people can proceed with a COVIDSafe plan, though larger events will need approval from state and territory authorities.

In what will bring relief to many Australians, stage three would also see no restrictions on weddings, funerals and religious services, as long as contact details for those attending are collected, and people stay at home if they feel unwell.

There will also be no restrictions on gatherings and workplaces, as long as the 1.5m distance rule is observed, and everyone will be able to return to workplaces unless otherwise advised by state and territory public health authorities.

The steps are subject to change based on state and territory health advice, and could be superseded by responses to localised outbreaks.

They also require operating businesses to have a COVIDSafe plan and rely on continued physical distancing of 1.5 metres, enhanced cleaning and disinfection, and effective testing and contact tracing.

The framework also identified sectors that are ‘critically at risk’ due to lockdowns. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Mr Morrison said the next National Cabinet meeting was scheduled for November 13, when leaders could discuss potentially moving the timetable forward.

The road map released today also identified the sectors that were critically at risk due to COVID-19 restrictions.

They include aviation — which is down more than 95 per cent on pre-COVID levels, and arts, sports and entertainment sectors, where 126,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs.

The number of tourism industry jobs fell by 109,000 over the year, and the nation’s universities are expected to have suffered “significant impact to revenue” due to the fall in international student tuition fees and other forms of income.

Retail is also suffering, with non-food sales in Victoria up to 65 per cent lower than a year ago.

Other sectors at risk due to restrictions include independent food and beverage retailers, hospitality, manufacturing, housing, and small businesses operating on slim cash reserves.